fistula

(fis′chŭ-lă )

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[L. fistula, pipe]
An abnormal tubelike passage from a normal cavity or tube to a free surface or to another cavity. It may result from a congenital failure of organs to develop properly, or from abscesses, injuries, malignancies, radiation, surgery, or inflammatory processes that erode into neighboring organs.
fistulous (fis′chŭ-lŭs )

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, adj.

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